JTC Academy Programming
Purpose and Scope of Program
Purpose and Scope of Program
Purpose
• To provide an alternative placement that provides academic, therapeutic and transitioning services to youth that have been suspended, placed in juvenile detention centers, jail and other placements.
• To give youth a chance to learn the skills and acquire the tools necessary to turn past negative experiences into future success stories by focusing on the strengths of our youth, building on these strengths to improve their self-esteem, self-worth and overall view of a positive and successful future.
• To provide appropriate transitioning skills to empower students to find their future through the use of real tools to build real skills
• To provide working experiences as well as teaching youth the importance of earning and managing money the correct way through hard work and discipline.
• To teach youth that they have a vast amount of positive choices and how one bad choice can lead to long-life, drastic consequences
• To teach anger reduction
• To open doors to youth that have not been successful in other placements .
• To provide support for students diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) through communication supports such as the empirically supported techniques of Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS), visual supports, Sensory Integration (SI) and Facilitated Communication. Academic supports are accessed through the tenets of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and various cognitive learning strategies that complement the curricula offered at JTC Academy;
• To assist in maximizing successful reintegration to lesser-restrictive educational settings and/or post-secondary transition, to the extent appropriate for each individual student.
Scope
• The JTC Academy Team utilizes a strength-based approach that is individualized to the individual student’s needs. We help youth recognize, identify and utilize their inherent strengths, skills, and talents and build from there.
• Through appropriately licensed teachers, we provide various modes of academic delivery, mainly through technology-driven teaching practices or a hands-on project based approach to learning new and challenging material
• We provide on-site jobs, community based internships, transportation to and from work sites and job coaches to assist with job transitioning
• We provide extra-curricular opportunities such as team sports to allow for our students to learn social skills while becoming an active and productive member of a team
• We provide effective educational strategies supported by evidence and research and used with fidelity so that teaching supports student learning and achievement.
• We use evidenced-based practices to plan, create and implement with fidelity our program BTPs (Behavior Treatment Plans). The program’s BTPs are aligned with the IEP’s behavior intervention plan (BIP) for students in our program that have BIPs listed in their IEP. The behavior treatment plan is utilized all day by staff to support each youth individually, record using tracking sheets, and revise as needed.
- We implement evidenced-based practices with fidelity by using various tracking measures such as our SWIS system, BIFs (Behavior Intervention Forms) and our Point and Level system to track and refine our practices.
Instructional Approaches
Instructional Approaches
OHI, SLD, and ED
Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD)
Students diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) with communication limitations are provided additional communication supports such as the empirically supported techniques of Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS), visual supports, Sensory Integration (SI) and Facilitated Communication. Academic supports are accessed through the tenets of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and various cognitive learning strategies that complement the curricula offered at JTC Academy. JTC Academy now has an ABA consultant that consults with our staff on ABA strategies and interventions to utilize with students diagnosed with ASD.
Students Needing 1:1 Aide Support
Students with a 1:1 aide in their IEP may be accepted at JTC. When accepted, the student will qualify for the intensive code that allows for 1:1 support. The 1:1 support allows for an individual paraprofessional to be assigned to the student to assist with maintaining focus, remaining on-task, transition between activities both inside and outside the classroom and other assistance as needed to maximize success in IEP goals and other school wide goals and requirements. Incidents of behavior/safety & and independence requiring 1:1 assistance will be documented by the team. Once the team has determined significant student progress has been made; 1:1 assistance will be phased out. The team will continue to monitor and assess student behavior until it is determined that 1:1 assistance is no longer warranted
IEP Related Services Offered
* Speech and Language Therapy – Speech and Language Pathologist is on campus 2 times per week in order to meet each student’s IEP goals and objectives. The SLP services these minutes with youth individually for the time frame specified in the IEP.
* Occupational Therapy – Occupational therapist is on campus once per week for those students that have OT goals as part of their IEP. The OT services these minutes with youth individually for the time frame specified in the IEP.
* Group and Individual Counseling – JTC Academy has 6 full and part-time counselors to service all individual and group counseling goals and objectives for the time frames specified in the IEP of each youth receiving group counseling and/or individual counseling.
*ABA Consultants
Clinical Program Description
Clinical Program Description

Clinical Model
Clinical Model
Evidenced Based Practices
JTC Academy’s therapeutic program utilizes evidenced based practices and approaches to planning for and addressing various behavioral and mental health issues. JTC Academy counselors utilize Cognitive Behavior Therapeutic (CBT) techniques to address thought distortions and maladaptive behaviors, depression and anxiety. According to CBT, when youth understand their thinking patterns, they can then learn and use coping strategies to overcome self-defeating thought processes. In addition to CBT, our counselors have all received training and now practice ART (Anger Replacement Therapy) in group sessions to address the overwhelming issue of anger seen in our youth today. ART uses role-playing and the teaching of coping skills to address anger and aggression. With a focus on prevention, JTC uses CPI which is a program with proven strategies for safely defusing anxious, hostile, or violent behavior at the earliest possible stage. The main premise of CPI is to use noninvasive methods for managing disruptive and assaultive behavior in a way that is compatible with staff's duty to provide the best possible care.
PBIS
JTC Academy applies the PBIS (Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports) model with the understanding that school-wide behavioral expectations for all youth have to be in place and followed consistently. Our school-wide behavioral expectations are categorized under the umbrella of the 3Rs, Be Ready, Be Respectful and Be Responsible. All staff in the building contribute to positively reinforcing these behavioral expectations consistently in hallways, busses, classrooms and non-structured areas.
Behavior Treatment Plans Point and Level System Tracking and Data
Behavior Treatment Plans Point and Level System Tracking and Data